Missouri Meerschaum Question

[pipemike]

Hello everybody,

I'm new to the pipe smoking scene and have a question regarding corn cob pipes. I purchased 2 corn cobs from a local tobacco store and also a briar from ebay (Big Ben). I'm using the corn cobs to try out some custom blends and some over the counter stuff and was given some small round screens to put inside bottom of the corn cob pipe. Is this really necessary? Do you think I am better off without it? Just wondering

Thanks
Mike

[cp478]

no, it isn't necessary. but it helps and i use them. its really up to you!

[DSturg369]

The screens are to keep you from puffing up tiny bits of tobacco and ash, a problem if you are puffing too hard. They are essentially filters of sorts, although they filter no tars or nicotine, and although very slight, they will lessen the amount of tobacco you can load in the bowl.

For the new piper they might be "OK" but I didn't/don't use them...... All le' naturale.

[Gigmaster]

I've never even seen them, and I've been smoking corn cobs for over 30 years. So I guess my answer would be No. You don't need them. They are probably like those useless little cardbord 'filters' some of the corncobs come with. Do yourself a favor, and trash the filters.

[Hendu3270]

I have a couple of cobs and I don't use them. I occasionally pull in a small piece or two of tobacco when I first light any of my pipes. For me, it's just part of the game and doesn't bother me. Once you get a very small amount of heat in the bowl the tobacco in the bottom seems to hold together anyway.

[IKMeerschaum]

I'd echo the sentiments of other posters here in that I don't feel they are necessary.

The bowls on most corn cobs are small enough that to reduce the bowl even more by putting in a screen seems a waste. There is nothing in the construction of a corn cob pipe that is significantly different than a briar or a meerschaum pipe and we don't put screens in them.

It has been my experience that screens really only seem desirable for those smoking herbs or other leafy substances that might be much smaller than the size of tobacco cut for use in a pipe.